FREE ESSAY ON POLITICAL THOUGHT

POLITICAL THOUGHT

Political thought is only a surrogate or substitute for more genuine political action.
This is one theory that has sparked much thought and when examined it may be seen quite
differently. For one, an argument can be made that indeed this political thought may
substitute political action. On the other hand, political thought can serve as a great
inspiration or spark political action. Thirdly, political thought may not have anything
to do with more genuine political action but instead it may be purely theoretical and
hypothetical. Examples of these three arguments may be made out of the works of Locke,
Plato, Machiavelli, as well as other historical aspects of both political thought and
action.
Political thought can indeed be a substitute for more genuine political action. Many
writers and political thinkers offer many theories about politics that may not be
intended to cause political action. Many theories are also offered but may not be
implemented into the political arena directly or indirectly. For example, Machiavelli's
The Prince, has been viewed as a substitute for political action.
Many feel that Machiavelli wrote The Prince as a guidebook for his own prince Lorenzo de
Medici, to promote himself into the political arena of Italy. Machiavelli dedicates this
book to Medici, leader of the family who overthrew the government he worked for. One may
argue that the book is a masterful act of political deception, filled with intentional
bad advice he hoped Medici would follow. Machiavelli aimed to trip him up bad enough to
make him lose power enabling a new republic to come in. 
Others feel that the dedication of the book and the use of flattery are used as a means
of setting himself up to function as a political advisor. By using flattery, he thought
Medici would be impressed enough with him to ask Machiavelli to work for him. Machiavelli
hoped to ensure himself a position with the Medici government, a government that he hoped
to carry out his main goal which was the elimination of the papacy and through the
dedication suck Medici into Machiavelli's unraveling plans for him. 
Nonetheless whatever Machiavelli's intent was, his attempts to unravel the Medici
government obviously did not pan out the way he thought it would. In fact, the book was
not published until after his death in 1532. Even then the book provoked controversy and
was quickly condemned by Pope Clement VIII. 
The book, with its various theories about its intent, goes to prove that Machiavelli was
using it as a clear substitute for a more "genuine" political action such as raising a
real attempt to take over and promote himself high up into Italy's political arena. His
theories and thought were just a substitute for something that he envisioned for himself.

Aside from being a substitute political thought can serve an inspiration to more genuine
political action. Works such as John Locke's Two Treatises of Government, as well as
Machiavelli's The Prince, have been proven to spark revolt and revolution among other
types of political action. 
Locke's works have exercised enormous influence in both England and America. In his Two
Treatises of Government Locke set forth the view that:
"The state exists to preserve the natural rights of its citizens. When governments fail
in that task, citizens have the right and sometimes duty to withdraw their support and
even to rebel." 
This view can clearly be seen in the act of the American Revolution against Britain and
is a fundamental principal of many of society's constitutional democracies. Locke's views
influenced many people especially Thomas Jefferson in America's fight for freedom and its
Declaration of Independence. Drafted by Jefferson, the Declaration of Independence
contained the ideas of individual liberty that had been expressed by views of John Locke.
Locke maintained that:
"...the social contract preserved the preexistent natural rights of the individual to
life, liberty, and property, and the enjoyment of private rights, the pursuit of
happiness led, in civil society, to the common good."
This clearly influenced the Bill of Rights in the Constitution of the United States.
Locke's notion of government was a limited one and his views on government were also
deeply reflected in the US Constitution:
"The checks and balances among government and true representation in the legislature
would maintain limited government and individual liberties."
Locke's ideas can be clearly seen in the beginnings of the US governmental policies
namely in the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution. Some of the ideas
presented in Machiavelli's Prince have also been used to spark revolution and other
political actions.
Lenin used Machiavellian tactics for a communist revolution, for these tactics were not
only interested in the survival of a principality but the way a principality acquired its
power. The communist revolution led by Lenin is a modern example of the destruction of an
old principality to a new. Machiavelli outlines the unfailing process for a modern
revolution in chapters VI-IX, stating that a leader guiding his fellow citizens as a
citizen must stamp out the old principality, establish new government, appoint new
officials, and instill respect and gradually fear for the new principal leadership. These
seem to blue the blueprints for the Russian Revolution followed by Lenin. 
After Lenin became leader of the Bolsheviks, he led them in a successful revolution. With
the communist ideals pushing them, the Bolsheviks threw out the provisional government at
the Winter Palace, a symbol of the old principality. Once the complete destruction of the
old principality was over, Lenin appointed a new hierarchic system. He established
himself at the head of that system and developed a reputation of cruelty. It appears that
Lenin followed many Machiavellian principles including the following:
"I conclude that since men love as they themselves determine but fear as their ruler
determines, a wise prince must rely upon what he and not others control."
It is evident in the above examples that political thought has sparked political action
and it is clearly exemplified in Jefferson and Lenin's close followings of the
principle's of Locke and Machiavelli respectively. 
Political thought can not only spark political action or be used as a substitute for
political action but political thought could just be a theoretical or hypothetical
thought as well. In Plato's Statesman, Plato speaks seeks to find a true definition of a
statesman and through arguments gives his theory of what a true ruler or statesman should
be.
According to Plato all constitutions of government are inferior to the only true
government, that true government being the rule of the royal statesman. Plato states that
there is no need for laws as long as there is a kingly ruler who knows the science of
statesmanship. Out of the possible forms of government Plato lists monarchy as the best
with aristocracy occupying an intermediate position and democracy last out of the other
possible constitutions of government. 
In the statesman the knowledge and insight of the ruler remain the ultimate criterion of
good government, although, at the same time, there is greater skepticism about the
possibility of ever attaining a perfect ruler. Thus the rule of the kingly ruler who is
the true statesman becomes the most desirable ideal, and a government of law is proposed
as an inferior because it is a mere replica of the rule of the statesman. This ideal of
the statesman may be the most desirable however it is probably unattainable. We can never
expect that such a true ruler as the statesman will ever appear as is stated by Plato
himself:
"We must take things as they are, however, and kings do not arise in cities in the
natural course of things in the way the royal bee is born in a beehive-one individual
obviously outstanding in body and mind. And therefore it seems men have to gather
together and work out written codes, chasing to catch the tracks of the true
constitution."
Therefore Plato admits that there is a need for laws for whatever reason that may be, and
that his arguments and definition of a true statesman is purely hypothetical and
theoretical. Plato was not intending to implement this art form of the statesman nor did
this type of rule ever exist. Yet Plato was just out to define what a true statesman
was.
Political thought is intended for various uses. For one it can definitely be a surrogate
for more genuine political action as is shown through Machiavelli's intent on writing the
book, The Prince. Political thought can be used to as rationale and ways to spark a more
genuine political action as well. This is shown through Thomas Jefferson and America's
use of Two Treatises of Government and the influence of The Prince on Lenin during the
Bolshevik revolution in Russia. And finally, political thought may be purely hypothetical
or theoretical as is demonstrated by looking at Plato's Statesman. 
Thus political thought is used and has been used for various intent and ways of going
about more genuine political action.